Illuminated sign



G. L. FULLER March 5|, 1935.

ILLUMINATED S IGN Filed May 19, 1952 v INVENTOR. Gran? 0C. @7a/.76g

'M C, s@ y ATTORNEYS,

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES ILLUMINATED slofN y Grant' L.Fuller, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application May 19, 1932,srrialrNolsiaz-'zc s claims. (C1. 1o-'133) The present invention relatesto sigm for use on highways in exposed and sometimes isolated locationsand, more particularly, to illuminated signs which are visible bothnight and day. The

signs may also be used as wall panels on buildings, etc.

Signs have heretofore been made which are particularly adapted forlocations exposed to the weather and also to tampering, the same beingof relativelyV inexpensive and durable construction, such signs beingdescribed in United States Patent No. 1,851,328, dated March 29, 1932.These signs, however, have no utility during the night time and it isthe aim of the present invention to provide a sign of this same generaltypewhich shall be provided With illuminating means and thus convey itsmessage during the night as Well as during the day. It will beappreciated that a sign thus located in a more or less distant, exposedlocation must be adapted to resist the action of the elements whichwould deteriorate the illuminating means if not excluded, and it is alsotrue that such illuminating means must be rendered as inaccessible aspossible to unauthorized persons to avoid tampering. Likewise, glasscannot be used for the display surface of the signs since vthis materialmight leasily be broken by the Wind or by tampering. The sign which isthe subject ofthe present invention has, therefore, been so constructedas to reduce the foregoing hazardsto a minimum.

It is, accordingly, an object of` the present inventionto provide a`sign having illuminating means so disposed therein as to be diicultlyaccessible to unauthorized persons. Another object is to provide a signwithout glass panels, but

which has the transparent characteristic of glass to a suiicient `extentto beuseful in interiorly illuminated signs. Still another object of theinvention is to provide an illuminated sign in which the fragileilluminating-means are enclosed against the weather and againstvandalism and so mounted as to resist breakage from these sources. Afurther object of the Yinvention is to provide an illuminated sign whichis a self-contained unit and can be operated continuously with onlyoccasional servicing. To the accomplishment of the foregoing andrelatedV ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafterfully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. i Y y I'heannexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in whichitheprinciple o f the in'- vention may be used. In `said annexed drawing: li

Fig. 1l is a front elevation of the illuminated f5 sign in use; Fig. 2is a view of one of the panels 'incorporated inthe sign showing thedifferent stages in forming fthe 'panelj Fig.` 3 is a section throughthe panel shownlin Fig. 2; Fig. 42-isva horizontal section through thesign Asho-wing i0 frames and upright; Fig.5 is anenlarged transverseYvertical section taken through theV sign shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6fisa section through the sign taken along the line 6-6'of Fig.` 55"Referring to Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing, "the sign comprises uprights'7 and 8 of vchannel iron', to which'are attached the side frames 9 and10 y of Athe sign by means of screws 171,V while the opposed frames,such` as 12, are attached by screws 13 which may be sired to 'leavethese framesfree to be swung upon hinges. The frames lof ,the sign4consist of wooden .members 14 Varound which arej'disposed moldedsheathing '15 and the display panels 16 are mounted in these frames. y l'125 As seen most clearly in Figlif, the .twohalves of the sign areattached by means of hinges 1'7 at the bottom and one-half ofthe signmay be swung downto the position 18 when it is desired to gain access tothe interiorof the structurefor s30 repairs `oradjustment..Ordinarily,.the swingable half ofthe signwill not have theilluminat-l ing means and appurtenantparts mounted therein, but all ofthesewill bejdisposed on the "permanently erect half of the sign. Acover k19 is *535 placed `overthe top of the sign to hold thetWo halvesvtogether and to` provide a weather-tight top, this cover also beingvprovided With locking means if desired. A n

Referring to Figs. 2 and3 of the drawing; the "40 structureof the.panels 16 which, as previously stated, must not. be of glass or similarvbrittle material, but which must transmit light, is illustrated.Eachpanel ,consists of a base ofwire screen v20 having onitsinnersurface a layer Vof "45 fabric 21, the screen having lflattenedknees `22, and the mesh thereof `being filled with paint or othercoating 23 which Will fill' the screen topresent a water-impervioussurface, but with parts corresponding to' a legend to be displayed leftfree of paint. The fabric 21 is also coated with a coating material ofan opaque nature but with the portions corresponding to the legend -leftuncoatedin order that the screen and fabric .55

removed when4 itis del"20 areas in order that light may shine throughthe.

panel to project the desired message. For this purpose, a resist isapplied over the surface of the cloth but with the required charactersblocked out so as not to receive the resist. Where silk is used for thefabric layer, an acidproof varnish 23 may be used for theresist and anacid may then be applied by spraying or other means over the entiresurface of the panel 4ory only to the VAblocked out'portionspto rot thecloth where the varnish has vnot been applied and thus match theoverlying screen in a regular pattern. Letters -blocked out inacid-proofvarnishfare shownat 24 in Fig. 2 and the etched letters are shown at 25.The acid is then washed olf and the panel is ready for use. The resultof this operation is that the interiorly disposed illuminating means.will shine through the exposed screen where the kmeshes have not beenfilled yWith the coatingv material and will not shine through the lledscreen and cloth which has been rendered opaque by the coating material.It-will be appreciated that the screen and cloth construction is notbrittle and will receive blows and shocks transmitted by the wind or bymeddlers without breaking, as would'be the case if glass were used.

The screen 20 above described Vmay be of copper, bronze, steel or othermetals commonly used in screen construction, but which have been formedor flattened so as to provide flattened knees in the mesh and thusrequire less coating material to fill the meshes. It is also possible toreplace the screen `by perforated metal or by a reticulated structurelwhich has been die-cast from somemetal such as lead. The fabric usedtocover the screen is preferably of thin bolting silk which is readilyrotted by acid, but it will b e obvious that other fabrics may be usedin conjunction With ,an .etching substance which will rot such fabric.Where a lcloth which requires a Vrotting medium other than acid is used,the acid-proof varnish mentioned above will be replaced by a coatingwhich resists such rotting agent. Itis also desirable to starch thefabric used in order to renderjthis stiffer and less liable to wrinkleand also to increase its useful life. The fabric may be applied on bothsides of the screen in some instances.

Informing the screen and cloth into a com? posite structure as describedabove, any suitable method may be followed but it has been foundadvantageous to applythe Vopaque filler to the cloth by means ofaprinting press and then to lay the screen ontop'of the wet applicationon the cloth, weighting the screen and letting the ller dry. In this waythe cloth will become firmly attached to the screen and the mesh of thescreen may then be'lled up with a coating materialby anotheroperation ofthe printing pressin which a legendis `printed on the screen by leavingthose portions of the screen corresponding to the legend free ofcoating. Still another printing operation can then be used to apply theacid-proof varnish or other resist to the cloth surface leaving areascorresponding to the openmesh areas of the screen free of varnish so asto be rotted by the acid or other etching substance. The coatingmaterial should be applied again if all the meshes in the coated areasare not filled and any projecting material should be rubbed off.

The illuminating means for the present structure comprise luminous'tubes, such as neon-filled tubes 26, which are mounted inside the signand supported on the inner side of a panel by means yof vacuum cups 27carrying springs 28 with hooks 29' for the reception of the tubes.Likewise, 'reiiectors 3l are provided which may also be mounted on thesides of the panels by means of suction cups 32. In the case of thereectors, it is not necessary to provide springs since the reflectorscan well withstand any shock transmitted by the wind or other agency.The resultant mounting means for the luminous tubes insulates these fromshock or side sway imparted tothe -sign but, as a further insuranceagainst detachnient of the tubes, these are also suspended by means ofsprings 33 depending from the top of the signso that, if the tubesshould become disengaged from the vacuum cup mounting,` they willstillbe prevented from falling and breaking.

Of course, the spring suspension 33 is relied upon f;Y

only as an emergency holding means since such suspension would notprevent swinging of the tubes against the sides of the panels.

The luminous tubes are disposed in any ladvantageous manner toilluminate the legend on the panels and such tubes may either becontinuous and bent to conform to the legend, or'a series of small tubesmay be connected electrically, as desired. The source of current forexciting the tubes can be a nearby power line with yappropriatetransformer Awhere such power line is available, or a battery 34 ofcells, such as dry cells-may be disposed within'the casing ofy the sign,together with a transformer 35, including an interrupter, for steppingup 4the voltage. vIn order to render the sign more noticeable, a flasher36 of `interrupter or other well-known type may `also be disposed withinthe casing.

The above described structure constitutes a sign having interiorlydisposed illuminating means and panels presentingva screen orreticulated surface filled with paint or other opaque covering materialand backed with cloth adhering to the screen by means of the adhesivequalities of this covering medium. Letters, characters, or designs maybe formed in the opaque surface by omitting the covering material fromareas constituting thelegend or design and by etching the backing fabricin corresponding areas. The

light from the interior illuminating means is Veffectively transmittedthrough the reticulated areas corresponding to the legend while theremainder of the panel forms an opaque non-brittle structure whichresists the elements and vandalism as contrasted with glass panels'whichWould be readily broken.

The herein described sign is built to withstand hard usage and adaptedto give service with infrequent attention and is, moreover, inexpensiveto manufacture, where cloth and screen are used, the structure beingintended to be used as a roadside sign in outlying locations where ithas not heretofore been feasible to provide an illuminated display.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead oi the one explained, change being made as regards the structureherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinct.- ly claim as myinvention:

1. A panel for illuminated signs comprising aiV layer of reticulatedmaterial, a sheet of fabric. disposed thereagainst, coating materialfilling. the meshes of said reticulated material and coating materialimpregnating said fabric to form an approximately opaque surface, andareas in said'. panel from which the fabric has been removed'. and thereticulated material left unlled to form light-transmitting characters.

2. A panel for illuminated signs comprising a layer of wire screen, asheet of silk fabric disposed thereagainst, coating material lling themeshes of said screen and coating material impregnating said fabric toform an approximately opaque surface and areas in said'panel from whichthe silk fabric has been removed and the screen mesh left unlled to formlight-transmitting characters.

3. An illuminated sign comprising a pair of opposed panels ofnon-brittle, opaque material, frames engaging the margin of said panelsand forming a weather-tight structure, light-transmitting, reticulatedareas in said panels, a source of illumination of the luminous tube typedisposed between said panels, and a source of electric current for theexcitation of the luminous tubes also disposed between said panels.

4. An illuminated sign comprising a plurality of panels consisting of alayer of wire screen and a sheet of fabric disposed thereunder, saidscreen and fabric being impregnated and covered with a coating materialto form an opaque and weather-tight surface, areas in said panels fromwhich the fabric has been removed to form light-transmitting charactersand corresponding areas in :said screen left free of coating material,and a .source of illumination between said panels.

5. An illuminated sign comprising a pair of -opposed panels, framesengaging thel margins of. Isaid panels and forming a weather-tightstrucscreenleft free of coating material, and a source of illuminationdisposed between said panels in said weather-tight structure.

6. An illuminated sign comprising a pair of opposed panels ofnon-brittle, opaque material, light-transmitting, reticulated areas insaid panels, frames engaging the margins of said panels and forming aWeather-tight structure therewith, and luminous tubes disposed betweensaid panels and resiliently mounted on the inner sides of said panelsand resiliently suspended from said frames.

7. An illuminated sign comprising a pair of opposed panels ofnon-brittle, Aopaque material, light-transmitting, reticulated areas insaid panels, frames engaging the margins of said panels and forming aweather-tight structure therewith, a source of illumination mountedbetween said panels, and hinges on said frames swingably supporting oneof said panels.

8. A panel for illuminated signs comprising a layer of reticulatedmaterial, sheets of fabric disposed on either side of said layer ofreticulated material, coating material filling the meshes of

